W Koh Samui just blew out eight birthday candles last November. Our recent trip to the ultra-chic, ultra-luxurious, villa-only beach resort revealed that the W remains relevant and is still at the top of Samui’s luxe getaway scene even after nearly a decade of catering to some of the coolest holidaymakers on earth.
W Koh Samui lies on Samui’s coastline, where the beaches of Bophut and Maenam meet, offering one of the island’s most unique panoramic views. The natural attractions are expertly combined with W’s bold branding and the classic tenets of resort hospitality for the perfect balance of comfort and cool.
Only pool villas are available at the resort— red, glittery spaces that may look intimidating at first glance. But the light wooden floor, the openplan layout, and large windows that let in a lot of natural light warm things up, enough to give the villa a luxuriously snug vibe, but not nearly enough to detract from the modern décor. If you ever wonder why W doesn’t hang paintings in its rooms, it’s because the walls themselves are art in their own right—we’re talking sleek colored panels, artsy mosaics, and glittering mirrors. Moving out, the pools at each villa are walledin, offering utmost privacy, and feature a small sunbathing deck and garden.
If you manage to crawl your way out of the cocoon that is your villa, W Koh Samui has cool amenities for both fitness and wellness, including a purple tennis court and a top-notch spa that promise to reveal both your inner and outer glow. Of course, it wouldn’t be W if there weren’t any parties—as with any W hotel or resort, the poolside party series at the Samui outpost features upbeat music from top deejays, a chic atmosphere, and booze—lots of it.
Late last year, W Koh Samui, together with many other W hotels around the world, kicked off efforts to elevate its gastronomic offerings.
W Koh Samui, in particular, flew in Noma co-founder Mads Refslund to cook a dinner for exclusive guests at the resort’s grandest villas. Refslund put a little twist into Noma’s signature neo-Nordic fare by using local ingredients, and the results went beyond all expectations. Each dish ignited conversation and Instagram snaps, including banana and fish roe served in banana flower leaves, watermelon with sweet shrimp and salted plumbs, king crab cooked with rosemary, and dry-aged duck. Truly a Michelin-worthy dinner that only a hotel like W can pull off. This gourmet event gave us a hint of what’s in the epicurean pipeline for W, and we can’t wait to find out how it will all unfold
